Science Saturday: Aurora Borealis

It may be a mouthful to say but it is also one of the most beautiful natural phenomenon on this planet. A librarian at Lakewood just got back from Greenland where she spent 4 days (or nights in her case) watching the northern lights.

What creates these amazing light shows in the sky? When electrically charged particles from solar flares enter the earth's atmosphere they collide with oxygen, nitrogen and other gasses to turn into light. Think of it like a giant neon lamp in the sky. These auroras are typically seen at the poles because the magnetic field of the earth generally repels these particles. South auroras are called Aurora Australis. These light shows take place at 60 to 200 miles above the earth and may sometimes go even higher. The color is generally green but may appear in other shades as well.